Weigela Plant Named &#39;VBL1&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Weigela florida  plant named ‘VBL1’ that is characterized by its compact plant habit, its young foliage that is brown in color and mature foliage that is brown-green in color, its floriferous blooming habit that is moderately remontant; blooming in May with a second blooming period in August and September, and its flowers that are red-purple in color.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to a Canadian Plant Breeder's Rights Application No. 21-10648 filed on Jul. 27, 2021, under 35 U.S.C. 119(f), the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Botanical classification: Weigela florida.

Variety denomination. ‘VBL1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Weigela and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘VBL1’. ‘VBL1’ represents a new cultivar of Weigela, a deciduous shrub grown for landscape use.

The new cultivar is the result of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hazerswoude-Dorp, The Netherlands. The goal of the breeder program is to develop new cultivars of Weigela that are floriferous with multi-colored flowers and compact plant habits. The Inventor made a cross in spring of 2013 between Weigela ‘Verweig 3’ (not patented) as the female parent and Weigela ‘Velda’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,842) as the male parent. ‘VBL1’ was selected as a single unique plant from the resulting seedlings of the cross in spring of 2018.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by softwood stem cuttings by the Inventor in July of 2017 in Hazerswoude-Dorp, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by softwood stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘VBL1’ as a unique cultivar of Weigela.

-   -   1. ‘VBL1’ exhibits a compact plant habit.     -   2. ‘VBL1’ exhibits young foliage that is brown in color and         mature foliage that is brown-green in color.     -   3. ‘VBL1’ exhibits a floriferous blooming habit that is         moderately remontant; blooming in May with a second blooming         period in August and September.     -   4. ‘VBL1’ exhibits flowers that are red-purple in color.

The female parent plant differs from ‘VBL1’ in having a lower and broader spreading plant habit and foliage that is much darker brown to purple-brown in color. The male parent plant differs from ‘VBL1’ in having foliage that is much darker brown to black-brown in color and flowers that are white in color. ‘VBL1’ can be compared to the Weigela florida varieties ‘Alexandra’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,772) and ‘Samba’ (not patented). ‘Alexandra’ is similar to ‘VBL1’ in having dark colored foliage and flowers that are red-purple in color. ‘Alexandra’ differs from ‘VBL1’ in having a much less compact plant habit and a less floriferous blooming habit with no reblooming. ‘Samba’ is similar to ‘VBL1’ in having dark foliage and a compact plant habit. ‘Samba’ differs from ‘VBL1’ in having a more compact plant habit, a shorter plant height, foliage that is lighter brown to purple-brown in color, and flowers that are more purple in color.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales that fall within a one-year grace period to the filing date. Disclosures include website listings by Wilson's Garden Center, North Carolina Extension Gardener, Garden Design, Monrovia, Proven Winners, and Pahls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrates the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of a 17-month-old plant of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a 2-gallon container in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘VBL1’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of ‘VBL1’.

The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Weigela.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 17-month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 2-gallon containers in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. Phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms in spring (May) and repeats during             summer and fall in Canada.         -   Plant type.—Deciduous shrub.         -   Plant habit.—Broadly mounded, freely branched.         -   Plant size.—In the landscape; an average of 33.0 cm in             height (soil level to top of floral plane) and 72.5 cm in             diameter, eventually a mature plant will be 60 cm in height             and width.         -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 7.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to             diseases or pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, moderately dense.         -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings.         -   Root initiation.—About 3 weeks.         -   Root development.—An average of 3 months to produce a young             rooted plant from a rooted cutting.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous. -   Branch description:     -   -   Branch shape.—Rounded.         -   Branch color.—New growth; 145B, mature wood; bark; 199B and             199D.         -   Lenticels.—Numerous; 1.5 mm, 158C in color.         -   Branch size.—An average of 24.7 cm in length and 4 mm in             diameter.         -   Branch surface.—Weaky glossy, very sparsely pubescent with             short strigose hairs, bark; rough texture.         -   Branch aspect.—Upright to outward at an average angle of             40°.         -   Branch quantity.—Average of 4 main branches, 8 lateral             branches with an average of 30 branchlets.         -   Internode length.—2.9 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Obovate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Apiculate.         -   Leaf fragrance.—None.         -   Leaf aspect.—Held in an average angle of 40° to lateral             branch.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color upper surface; 144B with N186C             around the edges on new growth, color lower surface; 144B             with N186C on secondary veins and 144C on mature growth,             color lower surface; 145D.         -   Leaf margins.—Serrate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces are smooth, glabrous with slight             glossiness, slightly rugose, mid-vein covered with dense             pubescence, lateral veins moderately pubescent with hairs an             average of 0.1 mm in length and 155A in color.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 7.5 cm in length and 4.4 cm in             width.         -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 28 (14 pairs) per lateral             branch.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; closest to 200A, base 183A,             young lower surface; 146B, margins and top 176A, mature and             fall upper surface; NN137A, moderately tinged with 200A,             mature and fall lower surface; 147B.         -   Petioles.—Average of 8.4 mm in length, 1 mm in width,             flattened, upper surface color 144C, lower surface color             145C, strong, both surfaces are smooth and slightly glossy             with margins covered with short soft hairs an average of 0.5             mm in length and 156D in color.         -   Stipules.—None. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Solitary, in pairs, or in small clusters             at terminus and leaf axils.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 6.1 cm in height             (including peduncle), 5.2 cm in diameter.         -   Flower buds.—Oblanceolate in shape, an average of 2.8 cm in             depth and 8 mm in diameter, 58A in color, smooth, glabrous             and matte surface, very sparsely covered with very short             hairs; an average of 0.2 mm in length and too small to             measure color.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Lastingness of flowers.—About 12 days, self-cleaning.         -   Flower aspect.—Outward to slightly upright.         -   Flower quantity.—An average 2 to 4 per inflorescence, 125             buds and flowers per plant.         -   Flower type.—Tubular.         -   Flower size.—Average of 1.2 cm in height, 1 cm in diameter,             flower lobe; 8 mm in length, 7 mm in width, tube; 1.5 cm in             length, 2 mm in diameter.         -   Peduncles.—Average of 1 cm in length and 1.3 mm in diameter,             held straight on top of lateral branch, rounded, moderate             strength, moderately pubescent, 144B in color and tinged             with 187A.         -   Calyx.—Rotate in shape, an average of 1 cm in depth and 1 cm             in width.         -   Sepals.—5, rotate, linear in shape, narrowly acute apex,             cuneate base, lower 50% fused, entire margin, an average of             6 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width, upper and lower surface             is smooth, sparsely pubescent and dull, color; when opening             upper and lower surface N200B to N200C, base 185A, tip 146D,             when fully open upper and lower surface N200B, base 187A.         -   Petals.—5, lower 75% fused into tube, spathulate in shape,             margin entire on free portion, apex obtuse, an average of 8             mm in length, 7 mm in width, upper and lower surface             glabrous and moderately velvety, color; fully open upper             surface; N74C to N74D, fully open lower surface N74C to             N74D, and 59D, throat color; 186A to 186B and 59D, inner             surface 75C to N74C with a narrow elliptic shaped marking of             8A and 10A to 10B, tube color; 59D and 186B. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, average of 3.2 cm in length, style;             average of 1.45 cm in length, and 154D in color, with 63C in             color at proximal end, stigma; club-shaped, 1.5 mm in             length, 2 mm in diameter, 154C in color, ovary; inferior,             1.7 cm in length, 1.4 mm in diameter; 200A in color with             197A at base.         -   Androecium.—Stamens; 5, filaments; N155B flecked with 186C             in color and an average of 1 cm in length, implanted in             petals, anthers; 155A in color, an average of 4 mm in             length, 0.5 mm in width, narrowly oblong in shape, pollen;             moderate in quantity and 11D in color.         -   Fruit and seed.—No fruit or seed production has been             observed to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Weigela plant named ‘VBL1’ as herein illustrated and described. 